Roll spring tape novelty toy



Nov. 12, 1968 J. ANELLO 3,410,023

ROLL SPRING TAPE NOVELTY TOY Filed Aug. 20, 1965 INVENTOR JOSEPH ANELLOATTORNEY United States Patent 3,410,023 ROLL SPRING TAPE NOVELTY TOYJoseph Anello, Cahokia, Ill., assignor, by court order, to Jerome A.Gross, St. Louis, Mo. Filed Aug. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 481,198 1 Claim.(Cl. 46-123) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Simple toy construction, usefulfor simulated animal figures and the like, utilizes a flexible springstrip like that of steel measuring tapes. The springing changes ofposition of such an animal figure, from a prestresed coiled position toflattened position, provides it with interesting and amusing action.

The present invention deals with a novelty or toy item, of roll springtape material such as heretofore been used for steel measuring tapes,with added ornamental material characteristic of toys.

Toys which are not static but have unique movement or action, aredesirable for the amusement they provide. It has not heretofore beenrecognized that such action may be obtained by using such tape material.This material may be defined as roll spring tape which is preformed tohave a tendency to coil lengthwise on itself and a counter-tendencyalong its cross-sections to form itself with one tape side concave andthe other side convex, together with toy head-simulating materialcovering the concave side at one end thereof. When suitably ornamentedwith toy-simulating material, the action afforded becomes interestingand amusing.

The purpose of this present invention is to provide such an action toyas a new article of commerce.

These purposes are accomplished, in the invention hereinafter described,generally by providing a length of such tape with ornamental preferablysoft material afiixed to one end to simulate an animal head, and relatedtoysimulating material aflixed at the other end to simulate an animaltail or other remote body portion, and if desired, other materialcovering the tape between its two ends whereby to simulate an animalbody. While such toy may be straightened and will hold itself straight(with the spring tape concave), the desired action results when the tailportion and body portion are permitted to coil on themselves, with theend to which the head-simulating material is afiixed either rearingitself more or less erect or coiling around the body portion.

Further objects of the invention and further details as to the manner inwhich the objects are attained, will be apparent from detailedspecification hereof, describing a preferred embodiment of theinvention, and the drawings thereof in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a roll spring tape toy embodying the presentinvention, shown uncoiled.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the toy shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side edge view thereof shown partly rolled.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 shown completely rolled.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a sectional View taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 3.

The novelty or toy item illustrated consists of a length of roll springtape, preferably made of spring steel, generally designated 10. Suchtape is of the type conventionally used for measuring. It is preformedto have two spring-like tendencies which act counter to each other. Thefirst is a tendency to coil lengthwise on itself, in the manner shown inFIG. 4. The other tendency, inconsistent with the first, is the tendencyto hold itself with one side, here designated forward tape side 12,concave as illustrated in FIG. 1, and the other, or aft tape side 14,convex as illustrated in FIG. 2. When its cross-section, that of a ringsegment out along radially propagated lines, shown in FIG. 5, isconsidered it will be obvious that when unrolled and straightened asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, its concave cross-section will hold the tape 10statically straight, resisting the tendency to roll upon itself. Whenunsprung from this position and rolled as in FIG. 4, however, it willassume a relatively flat crosssection as shown; see FIG. 6.

To one end of the tape 10, herein called the head end 16, and on theforward side 12 thereof I afiix soft ornamental material of a typecharacteristic of toys. Such material is here shown as thehead-simulating fiber fluff material 18; the impression of a head isaugmented by adding eyes 20. I cover the concave side 12 of the otherend (referred to as the tail end 22) with tail-simulating material 24which may be similar fiber fluff material. As shown in dashed lines inFIG. 1 I may optionally cover the entire body portion of the tape,designated 26, on its concave side with fluffy body-simulating material28; the result is then to give the impression of a long furry toy figuresuch as a caterpillar. For clarity the bodysimulating material 28 is notshown in the side views 3 and 4; the toy is in fact interesting andnovel without it. It may be preferred to omit the body fluffy material28, for example, if the item was to be used as a novelty steel measuringtape; in which case the uncovered convex side 14 may be graduated as aruler.

The attractive action of the invention may be described, starting withthe position shown in FIG. 1. If held near the head end 16, concave side12 outward, the body portion 16 may be struck lightly, near the tail end22, about the wrist or any other convenient object. The exertion offorce on the convex side 14 will cause the tail end 22 to bend and startthe tape 10 coiling on itself. If permitted to coil itself to theposition shown in FIG. 3, the head end 16 will give the impression of ananimal head rearing itself from a coiled body. If the user desires, hemay complete the coiling as shown in FIG. 4, in which case the article,if coiled around the users wrist, will appear to be a novel bracelet. Itmay then be progressively unwound and will thereby be changed from thecoiled strip of relatively fiat cross-section, shown in FIG. 6, to theconcave cross-section shown in FIG. 5, restoring it to the formillustrated in FIG. 1.

If a shorter length of the steel tape is used, it may be caused tochange from its straightened shape to coiled shape, merely by placing iton any level surface with the convex side 14 up, as shown in FIG. 2, andpressing downward at any central point on the body portion 14intermediate the head end 16 and tail end 18.

Therefore, while I have referred to the preforming of the tape with atendency to coil lengthwise on itself, this term is not to be construedas requiring any particular length of tape; for instance, the tape maybe selected at a length which, when the coiling is permitted, may notoverlap but instead take the form of a 360 are, or shorter if desired.Where such a 360 arc length is used, when the toy is in coiled positionthe head-simulating material 18 and tail-simulating material 24 will bebrought adjacent to each other, creating a novel effect. Thus,references in the claims to the word coil and the tendency of the tapeto coil lengthwise on itself does not require the overlapping of tapeportions when coiling; but only the tendency to coil itself into theshape of an arc, whether of 360, greater than 360, or less than 360.

Obviously many modifications may be made without departing-from thescope of the present invention. For instance, other forms than those oftoy animals may be utilized; materials other than fluifed materials maybe used for covering the tape 10; the tape 10 may be covered on both ofits sides, as by encasing in an ornamental plastic soft flexible body;and varying ornamental designs may be applied or incorporated dependingon the artistic ideas of the manufacturer. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Iclaim:

1. A toy comprising a flexible spring strip, said strip normally havinga prestressed coiled position and a rectangular cross sectional area;said strip having a second position on at least a portion thereof, saidsecond position having a relatively straight uncoiled length, arcuatelycurved concentric top and bottom faces and a cross sectional area of aring segment cut along radially propagatedlines, said second positionbeing stressed so that said strip is adapted to readily return to saidprestressed normal position, decorative means secured at least to oneend of said strip, said means extending from one of said faces over edgeportions of said strip and extending in a direction perpendicular tosaid faces and adapted to simulate a figure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 62,648 3/1867 Lewine 21701,559,165 10/1925 Hammond 633 2,824,409 2/1958 Brodrib. 2,851,270 9/1958Ball 46-44 XR 3,3 60,261 12/ 1967 SmolenSky.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

S. NATTER, Assistant Examiner.

